DkIT student documentary explores the invaluable contributions of the Cox’s Demesne Community
DkIT film students Finn Murphy, Rachel Coburn, Brian Rooney, Xiao Fan Lim and Aidan Connolly recently screened their short film on Cox’s Demesne at the screening of The Creative Ireland-funded documentary Estates of Mind which featured interviews from the local community about various initiatives and influential figures that have had a huge impact on the estate throughout the years.
The documentary called The Community of Coxs was created by a group of students on the Year 3 Creative Documentary module last semester on the Film & TV course, in association with Melissa Hayes, the Creative Communities Engagement Officer based in the Louth Arts Office as part of an overall project funded by Creative Ireland Louth.
The short film presented by the DkIT team, ‘The Community of Coxs’ focuses on a local area in Dundalk called ‘Cox's Demesne’ in order to try and document some of the resident’s contributions to improve the community over the past 40 years. The film featured an interview with director Finn’s Father, Eamonn and part of the interviews were filmed in the house he grew up in. The film also featured interviews with Clodagh O’Mahony from The House, a Cox’s Demesne Youth & Community Project, and Joe Murtagh who has been involved in the Redeemer Family Resource Centre for many years. It showed scene of the estate as it is currently, filmed by Finn and Rachel along with footage of the estate shot in the 1990s.
Lecturer in the Department of Creative Arts, Media and Music at DkIT said:
“It is so important that our students get the chance to work with outside bodies and organisations during their time with us on the Film & TV programme in Dundalk IT, as it mirrors what will happen in industry. Finn and his team were thoroughly engaged with the production of this documentary from the start and took on all feedback given to them at key stages of the production, from development right through to the numerous rough cuts they created of the film before it was finalised. The guidance that they received from the Arts Office was also key to the creation of the final film, which is a carefully crafted and sympathetic reflection on this important area of Dundalk.”
Finn Murphy, film director said:
“When I first heard the documentary about Cox’s Demesne was going to be made, I expressed interest in the project straight away because my dad and his side of the family grew up in the area. Through the project I got to meet loads of brilliant people who had done so much for the area of Cox’s Demesne, including Clodagh O’Mahoney, Joe Murtagh and Brian Doyle (who helped me in gaining the archive footage used in the doc). We had a fantastic three days filming in the area and the documentary got a very positive reception from all of the residents in the area at the screening. I would like to extend my thanks to my amazing crew who helped me so much along this journey, to Clodagh, Joe and Brian, to all of the staff at DkIT who helped me in the making of the project and to my dad and his family for making it such a memorable experience.”
